Report: Huddersfield 4-1 Bolton
IN BRIEF
Bolton Wanderers’ four-game unbeaten run came to an abrupt end, as they were well beaten by Huddersfield on a sunny afternoon in West Yorkshire.
Liam Feeney gave Wanderers the perfect start but the hosts hit back on the stroke of half time through Emyr Huws, who was also on target after the restart.
Further goals from Mustapha Carayol and Joel Lynch ultimately wrapped up a comfortable victory for the hosts, with Derik Osede seeing red late on for his second booking.
TEAM NEWS
Neil Lennon made two changes to the starting line-up that had previously taken to the field against Sheffield Wednesday, one of which was enforced.
With Zach Clough sidelined with a shoulder injury, Stephen Dobbie was given the nod to play in behind frontman Emile Heskey, who replaced Gary Madine.
FIRST HALF
Bolton started with a real swagger and were immediately a goal to the good.
Dean Moxey’s sent a superb 60-yard crossfield pass over the Huddersfield defence, with Feeney collecting well before dispatching into the far corner.
On the balance of play inside the opening ten minutes, it was no more than Bolton deserved.
Heskey was forced from the field of play with an injury on 11 minutes and was replaced by Madine.
Huddersfield’s first real foray into Bolton territory was on 16 minutes. Prince-Desire Gouano could only glance his clearance from a left-wing cross to the back post, where Sean Scannell arrived to flash the ball right back across the face of goal.
From that point forward the hosts grew into the game, but struggled to fashion any attempts on goals worthy of note.
There was a heart-in-mouth moment for Prince as the half-hour approach, as he sliced a clearance over the head of Ben Amos and onto the top of his own crossbar.
Bolton were next to go close, with Wellington Silva coming close with a back-post header before second later Neil Danns’ 30-yard strike whistled inches wide.
Just as it seemed Bolton would see the half out, in stoppage time they were caught out from a short corner.
The ball was played directly to Huws on the edge of area, who had time to steady himself before fizzing a low shot in the bottom corner.
SECOND HALF
The second period resumed in a similar fashion to which the first had ended, with the home side in the ascendancy.
Carayol crossed for Huws, who arrived late in the area before heading narrowly wide.
But it was only a temporary rest bite for Bolton, who fell behind on 51 minutes, as Carayol skipped inside a few markers before curling an effort into Amos’ far corner.
Harry Bunn then saw a shot from a similar area gobbled up by Amos, as Bolton sought to keep themselves in the contest.
Tom Walker was introduced on the hour, in an attempt to add extra impetus to the Bolton attack.
And despite seemingly steadying the ship, Bolton were undone on a counter attack as Huddersfield added a third.
Huws was once again the scorer, this time arriving at the back post to steer home Carayol’s cross from the left.
Any hope of salvaged anything from the match well and truly vanished on 82 minutes, when Joel Lynch pinched the ball deep inside the Bolton territory before squeezing home a shot at the near post.
Late on Madine saw an effort flash wide after a positive run down the right from Lawrie Wilson, but by then it was already game over for Wanderers.
There was still time to add insult to injury, as Derik collected a second yellow late in the piece.
FULL TIME